Find me in your pages | THE WATTYS 2023

Chapter 12:

"How did your date with Ayesha go?" Agad na Tanong ni Silvestre habang nandoon kami sa party ni Lucas. A lot of fancy people, good thing I got to buy my own suit a month before his birthday.

Napa inom ako mula sa baso nang wine na binigay sa akin kanina nung waitress na hinire nila Lucas. "Good. But we didn't end up talking about romantic things." Sagot ko naman agad kay Silvestre. "But a date is a date though. I just...can't find the right words to say so I kept on apologizing. I felt like I was ruining the conversation every single time."

"Wow, from extrovert to introvert noong mabroken?" Natatawa na tanong ni Lucas sa akin.

"Kaya nga tol eh. Sino ba yang kaharap natin parang di naman tropa." Pagbibiro pa ni Tres dahil sa mga kaganapan sa 'date' ko kahapon. "Anyways tol may bago akong reto sayo."

"Not really interested in going out with someone. Edi sana gumawa ka na lang muna nang gc, Baka ending maging tropa time lang din gaya nung sa amin ni Ayesha." Pagaangal ko dito nang masulyapan ko si Nikolai na masayang nakikipagusap sa ibang guests sa party ni Lucas.

The nerve to even attend the party.

"Ligaw na naman mata mo sa ex mo. What if mata ko na lang titigan mo?" Biro ni Tres sabay kindat sa akin. I gave a playful disgusted expression dahil alam naman nila na nagbibiruan lang kami dito. "Sungit mo naman. Ako na lang kasi."

"Nah. You'd look better with Rainne." Banggit ko dito. Now that I mentioned her, Lucas never knew her personally, siguro kaya wala si Rainne dito.

"Rainne? That chick I had before? Yeah she's pretty pero...more is better than one."

"Ang harot mo. Nikolai kinnie ka bang hayop ka?" Tahol ni Lucas sa kanya, natawa naman ako nang malakas dahil sa naging reaksyon ni Silvestre na para bang naoffend nang sobra sa sinabi ni Lucas sa kanya.

"Para ka namang gago mandiri ka nga." Sigaw ni Silvestre sa kanya pabalik. "Anyways. I dropped the other girls."

Natigilan naman kami agad ni Lucas sa inamin ni Silvestre sa amin. Ano? Napataas ako nang kilay kay Silvestre bago magsalita muli. "At Bakit? The impossible became possible na ba?"

"Yeah I think that's the way it is. And speaking of—"

"The motherfucker's in love with Rainne, I knew it." Pagdedeklara ni Lucas. Akala ko nagbibiruan lang sila pero biglang natahimik ang dalawa. "Oh god don't tell me I got it right. You're in love? As in...love love?" Paguulit pa ni Lucas para siguraduhin na hindi kami mali.

"I think I'm falling for her. She makes me feel weird on my stomach in a good way. Yeah we've had sex twice or thrice already, but for some reason, I just want 'us' to be something more than just sex partners." Bulong ni Silvestre sa sarili nya. His voice and his words were genuine. Rainne should know about this, like right now! "I want to tell her kaso baka iba na pala ang tingin nya sa akin. Baka babaero na pala ang tingin nya sakin. I mean...tama naman sya in a sense but trust me, when I get serious, I am focused on one girl and one girl only."

"Then ask her out." We heard Cianna from the corner, sipping from her glass of wine as usual. "Alam mo, I'll let you into a little secret. Gusto ka rin naman ni Rainne, pero ayaw nya lang ipaalam yon sayo. Afraid she's just one of your valued collections." Dagdag pa nito.

"Di ko alam kung pano ako magfifirst move."

"Then learn from Sylvius. I'm sure he would give you answers when he gets the chance. Risky take oo, pero ang mahalaga mapatunayan mo na mahal ko talaga si Rainne." Cianna suggested habang sumandal sya sa May lamesa. "If she goes for some other guy I swear Silvestre. You just lost the perfect ideal girlfriend." Warning pa nya kay Silvestre.